With its ground-breaking work on hit anime likeFullmetal Alchemist,My Hero Academia, andMob Psycho 100, Studio Bones has firmly established itself as one of the top anime studios in the world. However, Studio Bones is more than just an action and adventure-oriented production house. It also producedWolf’s Rain, one of the most gripping, emotionally intense, and thought-provoking anime dramas ever broadcast onAdult Swim.
In 2003, just three years after its founding, Studio Bones collaborated withCowboy Bebopscreenwriter Keiko Nobumoto to produce her original series,Wolf’s Rain,and it turned out to beone of Studio Bones' best anime series. Set in a dystopian future where war and environmental degradation have ravaged most of the world, the story follows a pack of wolves who sense the impending apocalypse and embark on a quest to find paradise.
Wolf’s Rain Is One Of The Best Animes Of This Century
Wolves, Human Hunters, And A Search For Paradise Make For An Epic Saga
The problem with the wolves' search is that humanity has nearly exterminated them. Those that remain are forced to assume human form, through wolven magic, and assimilate into human society. However, not all wolves share the same interest in finding paradise, and some humans have an extraordinary ability to perceive wolves in their human form. All of this leads to a captivating tale of wolves, their human friends and enemies, and a quest for deliverance.
Though wolves are commonly associated with fear and danger in Western culture, Japanese culture often paints the animals more as guardian angels or protectors.
Wolf’s Rainwas an anime ahead of its time, and the first element that made this possible was Keiko Nobumoto’s writing. Having written forCowboy Bebop, widely consideredone of the best anime ever, there’s no question about Nobumoto’s skill. However, her work inWolf’s Rainis not just a rehash of her previous successes. Instead, it feels like she deliberately set out to do something entirely different. This universe doesn’t have any fashionable, trendy outcasts with troubled pasts looking for redemption.
Sorry Naruto & One Piece, But The Best Shonen Anime Of The Mid 2000s Was A Massively Underrated Toonami Anime
Naruto and One Piece might have dominated the 2000s anime scene, but there was one other Toonami anime that was just as good as them, if not better.
Instead, Nobumoto shifts gears from the cool vibes ofCowboy Bebopto a more grounded narrative centered on friendship, loyalty, and faith. She explores how various forces - including ignorance, selfishness, pride, and hatred - can erode these values. However, Nobumoto still incorporates classicBebopthemes, such as the detrimental effects of classism, war, and environmental degradation, prominently in the story. Notably, the concept of paradise represents a rebirth of a world untainted by either natural or human-made pollution.
Outside of Nobumoto’s incredible storytelling,Studio Bones’ transformationof it into a captivating anime is equally impressive. AlthoughWolf’s Rainwas one of Studio Bones’ first major projects, it helped establish the studio’s cutting-edge approach to animation, which has since become synonymous with its later works. In a review of the series' DVD edition,Anime News Network’s Carlos Santos praises the animation, stating, “The visuals in this series showcase Studio Bones at their most imaginative.” He further notes, “The character designs are equally striking.”
Wolf’s Rain’s Plot Is Not For The Weak-Hearted
WhileWolf’s Rainis a captivating story well worth watching, viewers should be forewarned that, despite all the hope and promise woven into it by Nobumoto and Studio Bones, it is also filled with heart-wrenching moments. The wolves — Kiba, Hige, Tsume, Toboe, and later Blue — are so endearing that it’s easy for viewers to grow attached to them and invest in their quest for paradise. However, the harsh realities of the world they inhabit mean they face precarious fates that can be emotionally overwhelming.
For instance, and without giving too much of the story away, as the narrative unfolds, the various groups in the story – the wolves, their human allies and adversaries, and the key to Paradise – converge in a climactic finale. With each group harboring its own vision of a perfect ending, one that may be incompatible with the others’ desires, a tense struggle ensues. And in the outcome that will be decided – there will be blood.
20 Most Powerful Anime Mages
Fantasy settings may be a dime a dozen, but not all mages are equal. These sorcerers and spellcasters stand at the apex of the anime magic world.
The intensity of the series shouldn’t deter anyone from watching it. The trials and tribulations of the wolves being hunted while searching for a hidden paradise, combined with the harsh conditions of life in a dystopia, makeStudio Bones’Wolf’s Rainboth captivating and mentally intense. That emotional weight adds depth and passion to the series, keeping the audience invested despite its bleak and brutal elements. To be sure, it wouldn’t be surprising for aWolf’s Rainviewer to shed a tear now and then, yet still consider thisAdult Swimanime one of the best they’ve ever seen.
Source:Anime Network News
Wolf’s Rain
Wolf’s Rain follows the journey of four wolves disguised as humans who search for the fabled Paradise in a post-apocalyptic world. Directed by Tensai Okamura, the series explores themes of survival, identity, and destiny as the wolves confront various adversaries and challenges. The anime blends fantasy and drama to create a compelling narrative about the unyielding hope in the face of despair.
